The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-01-27
HENDERSON, N. c.. THURSDAY. JANUARY 27, 1887.

1t is waking the pulse OF vitality In the
stagnation of ages. 1t is pouring Its
crystal waters into the old Dead Sea of
ignorance and prejudice, on whose
blasted shores no flower could bloom,
and whose only fruit was but bitterness
AID ashes. Let it alone; 1t Is bearing
upon its bosom the intellectual fortunes
of unnumbered families, and is freight
ed with blessings for thousands more.
This extraordinary development.
however peculiar IN some OF Its phases
is yet explicable on the most obvious
principles of the human mind. Through
long centuries and in every land woman
has been strangely underrated as to her
intellect, her influence on mind, char
acter, society, and government. Even
in Christian countries, where Juster
views of her individual claims prevail,
she has been appropriated and coa-
fined to a sphere of action which, al
though legitimate to her SIX and her
relations, nevertheless ClrcumsCrlbes
and forestalls the powers capable OF
nobler deeds and more useful expan-
sion. The opinion which restricts
woman to the kitchen and the nursery,
or which brings her forth on gala days
DAYS of ceremony and festal glad
ness, Just as we gather flowers to wreathe
an arch or garland a brldal-hall-reSults
from a radical misconception of wo-
mans nature, of Gods design, and of
the worlds social interest. Indeed, all
the exclusive and restrictive theories OF
society and education which do not re-
cognize woman as an intellectual help
meet for man affiliate with the Aslatlc
barbarism which cloisters her when at
home and wells her when she walks
abroad But Cline, which overthrows
the Illusions of opinion and establishes
the decisions of nature" has been
working Out revolution of sentiment,
which, in the progress of knowledge
and Christianity, will achieve and vim
dicate a new order of things. Like all
other revolutions, it has its foes and its
defeats, its rapid triumphs and its sud
den arrests. Dut, liOll tllC day liz
which it was graciously conceded that
women had souls at all, the worlds
opinion has been approximating the
truth and, as the light brightens
around it, it is correcting its former
estimates, and providing for them
more liberal arrangements. Now when
great truth long hidden bursts npon
the human mind it startles, electrlfies,
impels. Forcing itself upon our con
victions, in the light of its own demon
stration, we wonder that what is sc
plain was not seen before, and, mortl
fed by the disclosure of our stupidity
we make haste to replir the damages
of our delinquency. The sense of In
Justice made palpable to our under
standing, and intensified by the mobiles
feelings of our nature, suggests the
idea of atOnement and we labor tt
obliterate the memory of our neglec
by heaping kindness on the victims o
our error. Such a mood, it is true, i
not favorable to just discrimination
to wise plans; and sometimes 1t ex
hausts itself in well-meant but very in
judicious enterprises. Nevertheless, al
ill-managed movement, if underlaid b,
fundamental truth, will rectlfy in it
own defects as experience reveals then
and will evolve at last, from its forma
tive processes, a well-organized system
symmetrical, efficient and abiding"
We have called attention in this arti
Gle especially to the intellectual wants G
young ladies. We may in future spea
of physical, social and moral training